For You, With You, Because of You
by Ishka
Summary: [post anime, oneshot. For ridivenire at Tumblr]. Response to request: Asahi and Suga's first kiss.


Disclaimers: Haikyuu! does not belong to me. Original manga by Furudate Haruichi. If you enjoyed this fanfic even just a little bit, I'll be happy ^_^

**For You, With You, Because of You**

When the café's door opened, making the bells attached on top of it jingle, Tanaka and Sawamura turned to look. They waved at the new entrant from where they were, a small round glass table surrounded by four cozy-looking cushioned light metal chairs. He waved back, smiling, then walked towards them and sat on the third one.

"Long time no see, Daichi. You too, Tanaka."

"Yo, Asahi-san." Tanaka grinned.

"It's been a while, Asahi." Sawamura greeted as well.

Tanaka turned towards the door, as if waiting for someone to come in after Azumane, but no one came. He shifted his gaze to his senior and asked, frowning curiously.

"Where's Suga-san?"

"Oh! He just dropped by the department store outside the station. It's been a while since we've been here in Tokyo, so he wanted to buy some stuff. He wanted to do it now so we can take as much time as we want hanging out with you guys and not have to hurry back before closing. Hehe" Azumane grinned sheepishly. "I said I'd go with him since we were still an hour early, but he told me to go ahead. He just knew you two would be here early as well and didn't want to keep you waiting."

Sawamura chuckled. "That's so Suga."

Tanaka smirked deviously. "Typical married couple where the wife goes shopping, eh?"

Azumane blushed furiously. "A… Anyway, here! We have souvenirs for you guys."

In an obviously futile attempt to change topic, Azumane handed them their souvenirs. A small paper bag for Sawamura and a big paper bag for Tanaka. Asked if they could open it, Azumane cheerfully nodded. Sawamura first took out a slim box. Inside there was a small bottle wrapped in bubble wrap. Even without unwrapping he could tell it was the sake brand from a small but very famous brewery in Osaka, which Sugawara had brought for him in a previous visit, and he really liked it so much. Aside from that, there were little colorful paper wrappers that contained different snacks. Tanaka's paper bag contained all sorts of treats from various specialty stores in Osaka's- and even Kyoto's- famous markets. While they were busy looking through what they got, a waiter came to take Azumane's order as Sawamura and Tanaka already had theirs.

"Wow! This is way too much!" Tanaka looked surprised at first, and then as if he understood something, he beamed. "Ah, this must be for me to bring back to the rest of the team. Right, Asahi-san?"

"Yeah. Suga was really excited when he heard from Daichi that you're coming to Tokyo, so he got a little too enthusiastic buying stuff for everyone."

"Oh, Suga-san… He hasn't changed one bit." Tanaka sported a toothy grin at the thought of an ecstatic team mom buying all sorts of treats for his 'kids' wherever he went.

"You guys really owe us a visit, you know? Noya and Hinata keep going on and on about how you two haven't been back since, at least Daichi-san came back once. _Only_ once, but yeah, he did come back _once_" Tanaka glanced at Sawamura who started looking just as guilty beside him. "Tsukishima and Kageyama aren't saying anything, but they visibly perked up when I mentioned I was gonna see you guys when I come to check out Daichi-san's college. I've already decided that's where I'm gonna apply, y'know."

"Yeah, so I gave him a tour of the school today, and showed him our volleyball team."

"I see…" Azumane grinned. "I'm sure you'll do great over there, Tanaka. Which reminds me, I think Suga mentioned Nishinoya's also interested in checking out his university. Nishinoya's thinking of applying there too."

"Oh! That's good to hear. I bet Suga's really excited to see him."

"You bet, Daichi." Azumane nodded "He's been going on and on about it as much as he went on and on about seeing Tanaka today."

Tanaka looked very pleased to hear that.

The waiter came and brought Azumane's order of iced coffee. Azumane nodded 'Thanks' and started gulping it down. It was a typical hot summer day after all. Putting aside their presents, Tanaka, smirking, said "So, Asahi-san. Since the wife's not yet here, let's have a man to man talk. How far have you two gone?"

Azumane was very thankful that he was already done drinking by the time he heard the question, or else it would've gotten very, _very_, messy as he spit out what very little of the drink was left in his mouth.

"Oi, Tanaka! Ask him that when he's not drinking!" Sawamura nudged Tanaka, telling him off in the scolding tone the two knew very well as he nonchalantly passed Azumane a bunch of tissues.

_'Daichi-san, that's what you're worried about?!'_

Azumane took the tissues with a lopsided, albeit thankful, grin. After wiping his mouth and a few drops of coffee on the table (He was thankful he didn't get any on his shirt or else…. Well, Suga.), he answered Tanaka's question timidly.

"Nothing, really."

A few minutes of silence passed, with Tanaka and Sawamura just looking at him. He could not tell if they were waiting for him to say something more or just did not know what to say. Tanaka, always the one to lose patience first in these kinds of situations, spoke first.

"What do you mean, 'nothing really'? As in you've never done it?"

Sawamura, who looked on beside Tanaka, seemed just as curious.

"Nope." Azumane shook his head.

"Okay, I can understand that. I mean, especially since it's you we're talking about." Tanaka just never knew how to hold back his punches. "But you at least kissed already, right? So? When was it? How was your first kiss?"

Tanaka grinned, looking eagerly at him. But that grin faded when, once again, Azumane timidly shook his head. The fiery wing spiker finally snapped and reached over the table (miraculously avoiding all their drinks) to grab his shoulders, making Azumane flinch.

"Asahi-san, your answer better be 'yes' or Imma punch you. You have _at least_ taken him out on a date, right?"

"O… Of course I have! A lot of times! Our first date was at the aquarium, we even got on the Ferris wheel. And then we went for dinner at Suga's favorite mapo tofu restaurant, and then we'd hop over to Kyoto every now and then 'cause Suga really likes going to see the castles, and…"

"Okay, okay, I get it, no need for all those details." Tanaka sighed, letting him go.

"So then, surely out of all those romantic places you went to, there should've been more than enough chances. Why didn't you go for the kill?"

"Well…"

Azumane paused, and as if reading his hesitation, this time it was Sawamura who spoke up.

"Asahi?"

The look in their former captain's eyes wordlessly encouraged him to go on.

"I just… I just feel like if I cross that line, there's no turning back."

"What do you mean?" Sawamura frowned, Tanaka looked ready to punch him.

Thinking back on what he said, it was as if he wanted to still have a way out. Azumane realized that he sounded like he was being half-assed about the relationship, and if that was so, that was something neither Sawamura nor Tanaka will ever forgive. Azumane paused to think, not because he did not want to say the wrong words but because he wanted to clearly convey how he really felt.

"If you think about it… What we have won't be easy to accept even for- no, especially for- the people closest to us. If it comes down to the point where Suga would have to choose between his family and me, I don't know if I can hold my ground. The last time I ran away, I really hurt everyone, but I hurt Nishinoya and Suga the most. I don't want to hurt him like that ever again. But I don't know if I'm strong enough…" Azumane smiled bitterly.

Sawamura sighed.

"Asahi, do you remember our match against Aobajousai? At that time, when Suga was about to be subbed out, you called out to him and asked him to toss to you. That was the coolest Asahi I've ever seen." Sawamura told him with the tone of a proud parent.

"Yeah, yeah!" Tanaka nodded vigorously. "That was a 'Whoa, just now he sounded like a real ace!' moment!"

_'What do you mean like a real ace?!'_ Azumane retorted in his head.

"Oh, and that time against Datekou. When Suga-san wasn't playing but yelled out 'One more time!' before Kageyama gave you that toss, your winning spike was super cool!" Tanaka recalled fondly.

"Asahi, you've probably never noticed it, but when Suga's concerned, you have always become incredibly stronger."

"You guys…"

Before Azumane could say anything more, Sugawara arrived.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late!"

-x-

On their bullet train ride back to Osaka, Azumane thought back on their final year in high school, when Sugawara suggested they live together since they were both moving to Osaka anyway, and their chosen universities weren't too far from each other. That way, it would be more practical for them. Plus, their parents (meaning their biological ones and Daichi) would have peace of mind, knowing they weren't all alone in a whole new place neither of them have been to before.

A few months later, on their graduation day, after a tearful (mostly Yamaguchi, Ennoshita, Hinata, and Nishinoya) goodbye to their teammates, Sugawara talked to him privately. Under the cherry blossom trees, Azumane had received his love confession. Sugawara, knowing that it might be awkward between them to live together after realizing his own feelings, had told him it's okay if he wants to forget the idea of living together. But Azumane smiled kindly at him and asked him to give him time to sort out his feelings. But he made it clear that he had no intention of backing out from their plans of living together.

With all their moving in and enrollment list of things to do, days quickly passed by. Finally, on their very first day living together, surrounded by piled up boxes and standing on the _genkan_ devoid of any romantic scenery like the cherry blossoms dancing all around them and petals falling all over on the day Sugawara confessed, Azumane held Sugawara's hands as soon as they got into their new apartment and asked him to go out with him.

They've gone on countless dates since, and held hands and hugged and thrown the occasional flirting looks at each other, but neither of them had made the first move to go any further. Azumane knows Sugawara had also wanted to, but always held back for his sake. After all, it was Sugawara who confessed his feelings first, and he's always the one who says 'I love you' first. Thinking about it, Azumane wondered how insecure he must have made Sugawara feel.

As they got off the bullet train and transferred on to the local train, they fondly talked about how the day went with Sawamura and Tanaka. Sugawara sweetly giggled when saying goodbye to Tanaka and Sawamura at the platform came up, as their junior refused to let go of Sugawara's arm right down to the last minute before the train's doors closed, until the former vice-captain and setter promised to drop by Karasuno sometime with their former ace. Of course, unbeknownst to Tanaka, Sugawara had long been planning to surprise them all by secretly coming to their match against the formidable Aobajousai (Azumane hoped the host-like setter who seemed very fond of Sugawara would not be there).

When they finally reached their apartment and Sugawara took out his keys to open the door, Azumane thought back at the time he asked Sugawara out. Stepping inside and standing on the entry way that now has a shoe rack instead of piled up boxes, Azumane couldn't think of a better place. This was where he first told Sugawara he loved him, after all.

"Suga"

"Hm?"

He caressed Sugawara's cheek before his hand travelled to his nape and pulled the shorter boy closer as he leaned in and kissed him. Eyes wide, Sugawara stood frozen, but Azumane kept gently repeating his kisses until the unmoving lips finally kissed back. When Sugawara smiled, letting his eyes drift close, Azumane wrapped his other arm around the lithe waist and pulled him in closer, deepening their kiss.

Azumane had always known that Sugawara had a charming smile. Still, this was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. He wondered why he waited so long to see it.

_I have always thought that 'I want to become strong for you'._

_Until those guys pointed it out to me, I never realized that all this time I _have_ become stronger. _

_Because of you._


End file.
